A16 chef takes the lead

Amanda Berne

Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, April 19, 2006

There's been a shake-up at A16, the always-buzzing Italian trattoria in San Francisco's Marina (2355 Chestnut, near Scott). Despite assurances that he would stay at least through May, chef Christophe Hille last week sold his partnership in the restaurant and, citing personal reasons, returned to the East Coast to be closer to his family in Connecticut.

Hille, a 2005 Chronicle Rising Star Chef, specializes in cooking from the Campania region. He is a certified pizzaiolo, one of just a handful in the United States, and at A16 was renowned for his simple wood-fire blistered pizzas.

A16 managers Shelley Lindgren and Victoria Libin didn't have to look far for his replacement, however. Nate Appleman, the behind-the-scenes man who has been by Hille's side since the beginning, has taken over as executive chef.

Appleman, who has also been certified as a pizzaiolo by Hille's teacher, was made a partner a year ago and had been slated to open a second restaurant where he would take the lead. Now, those plans are on hold, and Appleman will remain at A16 and continue with the same style of food.

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Although they may be frazzled at the minute, Libin and Lindgren say they are thrilled that Appleman is taking over.

"Nate is a wonderful and talented chef, and the food won't be drastically different," Lindgren says. Libin points out that Appleman makes the salumi served at A16, and let me in on another little secret -- the amazing pork breast is actually Appleman's creation. If that's true, then there is nothing to worry about.

Appleman worked in Tuscany for a year after he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. He met Hille when the two worked at Campton Place (340 Stockton, near Sutter) under Laurent Manrique. From there, Appleman moved on to Tra Vigne (1050 Charter Oak Ave.) in St. Helena.

Hille was unavailable for comment, but sent an e-mail saying, "Nate has been instrumental in A16's success since the day it opened. He possesses a tremendous talent for regional Italian cooking, has the highest standards for quality and is making the best salumi in America today."

The Tenderloin is becoming an exciting neighborhood -- and for the right reasons. At the beginning of May, the owners of Solstice Restaurant and Fly Bar, both in San Francisco, plan to open Brick at 1085 Sutter St. (near Larkin) in the space occupied for the last 30 years by Tappe restaurant.

Partners Matt Sturm, Chris Cronk and Leslie Shirah are no strangers to what makes a busy bar and casual dining scene -- their other two places are always hopping -- but at the new venture, they hope to kick it up to finer dining, and have brought in chef Noah Tucker, from Town and Oceana, both in New York, to develop a menu.

Tucker, who recently did a few months' stint at Michael Mina, has put together a 25-plate menu, with dishes such as sourdough-dusted skate wing and confit Buffalo wings.

The partners have stripped the walls to expose 100-year-old brick. Floors will be laid with Brazilian walnut wood. This area was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake, much of it in brick -- hence the name.

The decor will feature installations from local artists, starting with original work by Rob Racine. A cityscape was placed in a newly exposed window by Kurt Stoeckel, who is known for his beautiful silhouette designs.

Brick will be open for dinner nightly, serving until midnight, and will have a full bar. A lounge and bar area, named the Gallery, will be open until 2 a.m.

The owners of the successful
Bi-Rite Market
(3639 18th St., near Guerrero) will open Bi-Rite Creamery just across the street (3692 18th St., at Dolores) in July.

Sam Mogannam and Anne Walker have partnered with Kris Hoogerhyde, one Bi-Rite's pastry chefs, to create ice creams using Straus Family Creamery products. Salted caramel, roasted banana ice cream and prune Armagnac are just a few of the flavors to look forward to, not to mention fresh fruit sorbets and granitas.

The bakery kitchen, currently in the market, will move to the new location.

Quick Bites: On May 5, Scott Giambastiani celebrates his ninth year at Viognier atop
Draeger's
in San Mateo (222 E. Fourth Ave., at B Street) -- and his last day. Giambastiani is going to Google as the executive chef of one of the cafes. As Olivia Wu reported in a Food section story March 1, Google cafes offer free meals to all of the employees -- estimated at 4,000 and growing -- and focus on local, sustainable and organic ingredients. Giambastiani's new venture will be no different. He'll create a daily changing menu of 12 to 15 items for 700-1,500 people. Viognier sous chef
Michael Greuel
, who's been at Viognier for five years, will replace Giambastiani.

Scott Holley, owner of Steps of Rome (362 Columbus, near Vallejo) and G Bar (488 Presidio, near California), has bought Yabbies Coastal Kitchen (2237 Polk, near Green). He says the menu will remain international coastal cuisine, but he plans to spiff the place up a bit. There aren't any yabbies, the Tasmanian fresh-water crayfish, on the menu yet, although Holley says he's working on it.

Noe Martinez is the new chef at Rickey's Restaurant (250 Entrada Drive, Novato). Martinez comes from an 11-year-stint at the City Club (155 Sansome St., at Bush) in San Francisco. He'll work within Rickey's comfort food theme, tweaking the menu each season.